Blog
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September 6th, 2017
🇩🇪 - Timelapse of big sunspot groups (more…)In September 2017 a large group of sunspots reappeared, that has already been visible one solar rotation earlier during the solar eclipse on August 21st, 2017. Active regions 2673, 2674, 2677, 2678, 2679 became even bigger and more energetic. On 4 subsequent days I was able to capture images of them. The animation shows the rotation of the sun and reveals the dynamic changes of sunspots from day to day.
Date: September 3rd-6th, 2017
Author: © Christoph Rollwagen
Camera: Canon EOS 50D
Lens: 1000mm MC MTO-11CA Maksutov f/10
Location: Brandenburg an der HavelAugust 21st, 2017
🇺🇸 - Great American Eclipse (more…)On August 21st, 2017, the tip of the lunar shadow touched the earth and moved across North America. Between the west and east coast of the United States, many millions of people experienced a fascinating astronomical event - a total eclipse of the sun. Only a few days before, I decided to fly to St. Louis to experience the natural phenomenon in the land of the free. An entry visa was easily applied, a flight, hotel and a car were booked just as quickly.
When I arrived, I heard from the car rental company that my bank card was not accepted for a necessary depostit and that consequentially I won't get a car. Unfortunately my hotel was a few kilometers outside the zone of visibility. So I had to worry that in the worst case on eclipse day the moon's umbral shadow would just pass by my whereabouts. Fortunately, I met Barb Roach on the airport information booth, who heard about my plans and immediately made sure that I could get to her sister's farm. Pat and her husband Bob Weber accommodated me in their paradisiac domicile.
On eclipse day, Bob and I drove to the centerline of the eclipse. With many other travelers from all over the US we experienced an impressive totality of 2 minutes and 41 seconds on a parking space near Ste. Genevieve on a perfect summer's day. Only about 100 km east of our observing site was the location of the maximum duration of this eclipse of 2 minutes and 41.6 seconds. For me, this event was the first total solar eclipse, that had a predecessor in the Saros cycle, that I was also able to observe just 18 years earlier, on August 11th, 1999 in southern Germany.
For the photographic capture I used an apochromatic refractor William Optics AP 72/432 Megrez 72 OTA attached to a Canon EOS 50D DSLR on top of a photographic tripod without guiding. As on previous eclipses, I exposed my photos fully automatically with the software Eclipse Orchestrator. So I was able to enjoy the natural spectacle without distraction. And simultaneously I could take the largest possible number of photos of different exposure times to create a stunningly detailed HDR version of the solar corona on my computer afterwards.
This image, which has been created with a special and elaborate technique gives a very realistic impression of the view of the eclipsed sun and the dominant corona with all its delicate and dynamic structures. Reddish prominences stick out behind the edge of the moon, on the left side of the picture Regulus appears in the darkened sky - the main star of the constellation Leo. There are even some surface structures visible on the night side of the moon - illuminated by light reflected from the earth.
Due to a delay of my return flight, I could spent a few more days with my new friends, who didn't hesitate to take me in to their home again. Barb's husband Charlie took advantage of my extended stay to show me the most intriguing corners of his hometown St. Louis.
Barb, Pat, Bob and Charlie, thank you so much for this experience and for the wonderful days I was allowed to spend with you!
Date: August 21st, 2017
Copyright: © Christoph Rollwagen:Ccamera: Canon EOS 50D
Lens: 432mm William Optics Megrez 72FD Apochromat f/6 + Baader ComaCorrector
Location: Ste. Genevieve, Missouri (USA)August 7th, 2017
🇩🇪 - Partial Lunar Eclipse in Brandenburg, Germany (more…)On August 7th, 2017 a partial lunar eclipse occured. The southern hemisphere of the moon vanished for 1 hour and 55 minutes inside earth's umbral shadow. In Germany only the end of the eclipse could be observed, because the moon rose shortly after mid-eclipse.
The Video shows different photographic views of the celestial show and a timelapse of 1 hour and 35 minutes, that I have taken from the 69 meter high hill Marienberg in Brandenburg an der Havel. I used my 350mm light-weight travel telescope on a Canon EOS 50D DLSR on top of a photographic tripod.
Date: August 7th, 2017 @ 19:43:08 CET
Author: © Christoph Rollwagen
Camera: Canon EOS 50D
Lens: 350mm Meade ETX-70 f/5
Location: Brandenburg an der Havel